My Day started off with another run outside providing me incredible views.

The mountains look incredible with the new snow.

The trail was a little rough after our snow/rain

I think we are officially in mud season, which means that we might get our two weeks of actual spring now.

On Cannon’s day off of school we went back to the children’s museum for the first time since before the pandemic.

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It felt weird and stragley normal at the same time. It was very odd that after 15ish months the kids are so different than the last time we were there…Emmy would have been just one and now she is three!

Emmy will also start gymnastics again next week, this was the last time we were able to take Emmy to gymnastics:

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Is life starting to feel a little more normal for you?

Emmy has grown and changed so much between 2.5 and 3 years old, we love her bold personality and her strong loyalty to friends.

Her best friend remains Cannon, I really hope they are always close.

She also really really loves her puppy.

She has found a love of soccer, she will be old enough to play on a team in the fall!

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Just like me she has a strong love of holidays, Halloween, Christmas and Easter are her favorites.

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Being outdoors brings Emmy the most joy, in almost any weather.

Emmy has also found a love for running, especially trail running, we just have to work on not falling.

If not outside you can find Emmy curled up with a good book.

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Even with Covid restrictions Emmy was able to enjoy many adventure in the last six months.

Emmy has mostly given up her nap now although a car ride will almost certainly put her to sleep.

I just can’t believe our little baby is already three and seems so grown up.

We have a lot of changes coming up in the next six months. We are looking forward to summer spending as much time up in the mountains as possible, swim lessons, hiking, camping and adventures. Emmy will start preschool in August and my heart is not ready. Possibly a trip to Disneyland in September and seeing family in Oregon.

I am excited to be along on this ride getting to see who this amazing little girl is becoming.

Past Updates

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

4 Months

5 Months

6 Months

7 Months

8 Months

9 Months

10 Months

11 Months

12 Months

15 Months

18 Months

21 Months

2 1/2 Years

I had the BEST run the other day as I started my run, I got to watch a giant moon set over the mountains. (photos will never do it justice)

Then when I was headed home I got to see the sun rise, life was feeling good.

Emmy and I have been enjoy our girl time while Cannon is at school but we are also counting down the days until summer when we can have lazy mornings and daily adventures! (17 more days of school to be exact)

I took the day after getting my vaccine to recover but now that I am feeling better I am going to start a new 50 day run streak. I have talked before about why I like to periodically do run streaks and I look forward to the challenge of running everyday for 50 days.

I had google tell me that my streak would be over on June 17, which is Cannon’s birthday so it feels right.

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Have you ever done a run streak?

So this happened yesterday for both Cory and me:

We both got our second dose of the Moderna vaccine. I will be honest that it has been rough today: fever, chills, aches, head ache, nausea, exhaustion. Three and Four year olds don’t exactly let you lay on the couch and recover.

It is SO worth it to be protected from this virus and help protect others from the spread but for today it is a bit brutal.

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For those of you that have gotten a vaccine, did you have side effects? How long did they last?

We had a really amazing day and it has me so excited that summer break is just one month away!

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One of our favorite parks that has been closed for Covid recently opened and we were so excited to go spend the morning climbing and sliding!

From the last time we were at this park in 2019.

We had to get some grocery shopping done then we were off to Denver to go to Elitches, our local amusement park.

I needed to provide Pass pictures of the kids…..this is what they gave me LOL.

We met some friends and enjoyed a few hours in the park.

We have season passes so I think we will be here a lot this summer. It felt like summer already with almost 80 degree weather.

We enjoyed grilled (veggie) burgers and watermelon on the deck and it was easy to dream of summer time evenings to come.

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Are you looking forward to summer? What is your favorite season?

A little photo tour of Emmy’s birthday week:

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Emmy woke up (in our trailer in Rifle) very happy on her birthday. I am not sure I have seen anyone more happy that it was their birthday. And yes, we get a birthday WEEK, not day, life is short, we like to celebrate big!

We played at a new to us playground in Vail.

Emmy did amazing at her three year well-check.

We appreciated the bathroom sings at the pediatricians and loved the voice of inclusion.

We had a playdate in the snow with friends.

We visited the aquarium for the first time.

We went for chilly runs together.

We scooted.

We had puppy playdates.

We had balloons in the crib for probably the last time, I am assuming Emmy will graduate to a big girl bed sometime this year.

Cannon had a chilly soccer game.

We celebrated Emmy just a little bit more with a small party with her cousins, she loved everyone signing to her.

We shared dinner (outside!) with my brother, played with his puppy and life felt a little more normal.

80 pound puppy!

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What was your week like?

We had a good day celebrating and playing!

On our way home from Dinosaur National Monument we stayed the night at Rifle Falls State Park. We were surprised at how amazing this little park was. Right outside of the campground was this triple falls. And all along the cliff are some very cool caves.

You can explore them and find lots of fun areas to climb and play.

Both Cannon and Emerald were amazed and having the best time!

Then you can hike up above the falls and have a wonderful view of the valley.

The last thing we did was to walk behind the falls and enjoy the mist.

We even saw a Marmot on the drive up the Canyon and enjoyed watching people rock climbing.

Rifle falls is only a little over three hours from Denver if you are in the area, it’s definitely worth a visit.

You can camp at Rifle Falls State Park or Rifle Gap State Park. If you aren’t a camper there are hotels in Rifle.

View from Rifle Gap State Campground.

If you have additional time the hike to Rifle Arch is also amazing!

We only had a little time to visit Dinosaur National Monument because we had to beat a snow storm that was approaching the front range. We made the most of the time we had and hope to go back sometime soon to see more!

We arrived near the entrance and enjoyed the many road-side dinosaurs.

The visitors center is very nice as you come in from the Utah Enterance.

Entrance is included if you have a National Parks Pass.

While in the Visitors Center we got our Parks Passports stamped.

We made our way to the Quarry Exhibit, which was AMAZING, I have never seen anything like it.

I think it is similar to the Grand Canyon in that pictures will never do it justice!

The kids really enjoyed seeing the skeletons.

But their favorite part was TOUCHING the dinosaur bones (it’s allowed)

After the Quarry we hiked the Fossil Discovery Trail.

You can find some more fossils in the cliffs and see fantastic views.

I can imagine that it would get very hot here in the summer!

After leaving the quarry we drove down to an area that had petroglyphs.

The art is so interesting and the kids had great time playing in the dirt looking for lizards.

We had hoped to hit some more sites further east on the Colorado side.

But a snow storm was headed for the front range and we didn’t want to tow our trailer in the snow (again) so we headed south for warmer weather and a shorter drive home. I am not too disappointed as now we have a great excuse to come back and explore the other half of the park!

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Have you ever been to Dinosaur National Monument?

Any hidden gem National Monuments or State Parks that are your favorites?

We didn’t realize it until we entered a National Monument, but this week is National Park Week!

There are some special events happening in celebration of Earth Day this week.

We LOVE national Parks, here are some of our favorites:

Yellowstone National Park

Arches National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Grand Tetons National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Dinosaur National Monument **Included with our National Parks Pass**

Capital Reef National Park

On our list for later this year:

Source – Saguaro National Park

Source – Joshua Tree National Park

Source – Great Sand Dunes National Park

High on our list to see as soon as we can are Glacier National Park, Yosemite National Park, And Denali

What is your favorite National Park?